Slumping Heat gets hot at end, beats the Lakers

Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat posts up Kobe Bryant of the Lakers during a game Thursday at American Airlines. The Heat ended a five-game losing streak by beating the Lakers, 94-88. MIKE EHRMANN, GETTY IMAGES

It was the night for the Miami Heat to show it could play with the big boys. And the Lakers weren’t quite big enough at the end.

The slumping Heat rallied in the second half to beat the Lakers, 94-88, on Thursday night. It was not just a triumph of Miami’s speed over the Lakers’ size, as in the team’s first matchup on Christmas.

This time, the Heat produced 46 points in the paint to the Lakers’ 30 to end the Lakers’ eight-game winning streak.

“I hope to see them again sometime this year,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said.

The Lakers failed to execute down the stretch, when Miami coach Erik Spoelstra exploited them repeatedly with the same alignment of LeBron James as a decoy for Dwayne Wade to attack.

Wade’s mostly poor night ended well and with 20 points, five rebounds and five assists. James had 19 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.

Kobe Bryant shot 2 for 11 in the second half and finished with 24 points in 40 minutes. He explained some of the quick, long shots he took late were attempts to shoot in rhythm, mentioned calls that didn’t go his way and cited his key turnover when the score was tied as “stupid stuff.”

The Lakers did not score in the final 2:26 after Bryant’s 3-pointer forged an 88-88 tie. His next shot missed but could have been redeemed by a Ron Artest put-back layup — except Artest missed with 1:04 left.

Artest had a big impact otherwise with nine points, nine rebounds, six assists and three steals while defending James.

The Heat snapped its five-game skid, and Spoelstra said: “You saw a real sense of urgency and desperation defensively to hold a team like that to 29 percent in the second half.”

Bryant called Miami’s “hustle points” the difference in the game, and Andrew Bynum lamented the Lakers’ defensive rebounding by saying: “We gave ‘em 20 points.”

Bynum twisted his ankle in the second quarter during a scrum under the basket and didn’t have his first rebound until his 15th minute. He still managed 13 points and 12 rebounds and a joke about his ankle, which didn’t need postgame treatment.

“If I can’t have good knees, I’ve got to have good ankles, right?” Bynum said.

Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat posts up Kobe Bryant of the Lakers during a game Thursday at American Airlines. The Heat ended a five-game losing streak by beating the Lakers, 94-88. MIKE EHRMANN, GETTY IMAGES
The Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade (3) reacts after the Los Angles Lakers make a basket in the second quarter. CHARLES TRAINOR JR., MCT
The Lakers' Kobe Bryant drives past Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat during a game at American Airlines Arena on Thursday. MIKE EHRMANN, GETTY IMAGES
The Miami Heat's Erick Dampier, right, guards the Lakers' Andrew Bynum during the second quarter. HECTOR GABINO, MCT
The Miami Heat's LeBron James shoots against the Lakers' Ron Artest during the second quarter. HECTOR GABINO, MCT
The Lakers' Kobe Bryant is fouled by Zydrunas Ilgauskas of the Miami Heat during a game at American Airlines Arena on Thursday. MIKE EHRMANN, GETTY IMAGES
The Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade guards the Lakers' Kobe Bryant, left, in the second quarter. CHARLES TRAINOR JR., MCT
The Lakers' Kobe Bryant dunks as LeBron James of the Miami Heat looks on during a game at American Airlines Arena on Thursday. MIKE EHRMANN, GETTY IMAGES
Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat inbounds the ball during a game against the Lakers at American Airlines Arena on Thursday. MIKE EHRMANN, GETTY IMAGES
The Lakers look on during the national anthem during a game against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. MIKE EHRMANN, GETTY IMAGES
The Lakers' Kobe Bryant is fouled by Miami Heat's Zydrunas Ilgauskas during the first half. ALAN DIAZ, AP
The Lakers' Derek Fisher goes to the basket against the Miami Heat during the first half. ALAN DIAZ, AP
The Lakers' Pau Gasol shoots over the Miami Heat's Joel Anthony (50) during the first quarter. ALAN DIAZ, AP
The Lakers' Kobe Bryant is fouled by Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade, center, as LeBron James (6) looks on during the second quarter. ALAN DIAZ, AP
The Lakers' Pau Gasol, left, and Miami Heat's Mario Chalmers vie for control of the ball during the first quarter. ALAN DIAZ, AP
The Miami Heat's Chris Bosh dunks the ball against the Lakers during the second quarter. HECTOR GABINO, MCT
The Miami Heat's LeBron James shoots over Los Angles Lakers' Ron Artest (15) in the second quarter. CHARLES TRAINOR JR., MCT
The Miami Heat's LeBron James steals the ball from the Lakers' Ron Artest (15) in the first quarter. CHARLES TRAINOR JR., MCT

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